


Simulations

by ShutUpGinger (Chameowmile)



Series: Old Stories [2016] [8]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Commander Kylo, Commander Mitaka, M/M, Mitaka's being tested too, Slow Burn, Snoke's Training, THEY'RE BUDDIES NOW, a test for me, a test for you, also Hux's training, and a test for your dog, everyone's being tested, for now, it's a-lot more mundane than one would expect Kylo's final tests to be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 13:14:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6196421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chameowmile/pseuds/ShutUpGinger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After determining that Kylo Ren requires an escort to take him to his training, Mitaka is assigned to accompany him, not just on the drop-off, but on his tests as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Simulations

**Author's Note:**

> I always forget how much I love writing this series until I start writing a new installment for it  
> I have plans  
> big plans

Mitaka is willing to do just about _anything_ to get on Hux’s good side.

Including babysit Kylo Ren some more, apparently.

“Snoke requests Ren have an officer accompany him during his training, and I would like you to be that officer.” Hux explains, as the lieutenant is being ushered aboard Ren’s shuttle by some troopers. “Expect a raise when you return.”

The, “If you return.” is left unspoken, but Mitaka gets the message regardless, and nods sheepishly.  
***

The knight seems uncomfortable with him, as ridiculous as that sounds, and Mitaka gets the feeling that he’s embarrassed.

He avoids eye contact fully, like a cowed dog, and says very little, as he shuffles about, and awaits their arrival to his training site.

Mitaka sees little point in speaking with him, since he doesn’t have a clue what he’d say even if he did, and so, just sits in the co-pilot’s seat, head leant against the control panel, and watches as the other man paces around, in those strangely hypnotic robes of his.

They’ve been shoved together like this for three days, and the shuttle has proven a little too stuffy for the lieutenant, who has long since shed the majority of his uniform in favor of his workout attire. A t-shirt and some soft, loose-fitting pants.

He’d intended to change back into his uniform once they reached their destination, but before he even realizes it, he’s being jerked to attention by the sound of the engines cutting off, and is snapping his head up to look out the invisisteel window, where a massive, Imperial era star-destroyer resides.

The sound he makes is less than respectable, a soft mousy squeak as he jumps up onto his feet and snaps his gaze around the cabin in search of Kylo.

The knight is standing at a distance, stiff-backed with his hands crossed in front of him, and seems fairly un-reactive to the entire scene.

“Gather your things.” He responds cooly. “We won’t be returning to this shuttle.”

Mitaka doesn’t know how the other man would know that, but thinks it sounds a bit like a threat, as he dashes off to grab what few bags he was given to take with him upon his departure.  
***

“You don’t have anything?” Mitaka asks in surprise, when he sees that Ren hasn’t moved at all, and is still standing with nothing in hand.

Ren flinches near imperceptibly, a slight movement really only visible to the well-trained eye, and shakes his head.

“My needs will be taken care of in accordance to my training.”

_”He sounds like me before I realized that nobody likes a show-of.”_

Mitaka glances out at the large ship awaiting them, still unmoving, and exhales.

“Are you frightened?” He asks, before he can stop himself.

Kylo glances over carefully.

“I’m not certain what to expect.” He admits. “Normally I’m told, at the very least, what I’ll be working to improve.”

“Any ideas?”

“Control, presumably. Though I haven’t spoken to my master since Starkiller.”

There’s an edge to his tone, that makes Mitaka shiver sympathetically. He can’t imagine what it would be like to mess up, and then have to _wait_ a week to speak to his higher ups about it.  
***

When the star-destroyer finally begins to move, Mitaka finds himself holding his breath, and steps forward to take care of the docking protocols, leaving Kylo to brood in peace.  
***

The entire docking procedure proves ominous, with no one speaking over the radio even once, and nobody waiting on the other side of the air-lock when they step through it onto the much larger ship.

The moment they’re inside, there’s the tell-tale hiss of their shuttle ejecting, and a jolt that nearly causes Mitaka to fall down.

Kylo grabs him by the arm, to keep him from tumbling to the floor, and in one fluid motion, takes all of the bags that were imbalancing him, to have them float behind them as they walk.

He doesn’t release Mitaka’s arm.  
***

They make it to a small hallway full of doors, and as if on instinct, Kylo approaches the third one, and opens it with a small wave of his arm.

“This is your room.” He intones, floating the bags over to the bed, where they land quite gently. “You may leave, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want a repeat of your first day on the Finalizer.”

Mitaka’s face reddens considerably at the mention of that, how horribly lost he had gotten because he’d made the mistake of assuming the ship had been built the same way as his previous one, only to find that Hux had instead designed it himself, and that any prior knowledge of a star destroyer, resurgent or not, was useless.

The only reason he’d even made it back to his room on time for his first shift was because some random man gave him directions. He pauses.

“That was _you_.” He muses absently. “Wasn’t it?”

He’d honestly forgotten about it, but now, looking at Kylo’s face, he can tell it’s true.

The man makes a sound that might have been a chuckle, and reaches over to tousle Mitaka’s currently messy hair.

“You have good memory.” He laughs, and with that, is gone.  
***

Uncertain as to whether or not he’ll be staying in this room for good, Mitaka doesn’t unpack. He does, however, go through his bags to see what was sent with him.

He finds that none of it, outside of his uniform, is actually his, and hopes that that doesn’t mean his actual belongings have been tossed out somewhere on the Finalizer.

There are some First Order approved holo-books and series, likely to keep him entertained, some basic hygienic supplies, though he does note with some relief that they appear to have refrained from giving him the kind that gives him hives, a thermal cape, which he pulls on immediately because this ship is _cold_ , a medpac, and two bags worth of rations and survival supplies that he contemplates eating from, only to sigh and decide otherwise, since he doesn’t know if this ship is going to supply him with food or not, just yet.

He picks up his uniform, now crumpled and in need of a wash, and carries the pile with him to the ‘fresher, where he thinks he saw a sterilization box to toss it into, and hopes to find some fiber-relaxant spray for the wrinkles.

Unbelievably old fashioned, but he often took care of his own laundry on the Finalizer anyway, so it’s hardly inconvenient.

After verifying that there is indeed somewhere to wash his laundry, he strips out of his workout attire as well to toss in with the uniform, and then moves to turn on the shower.

The Finalizer didn’t have showers, though he heard rumors that _Starkiller_ did, and so, he is often rather delighted to see them. Water feels so much nicer than sonic.

He closes his eyes, stepping under the hot stream, and prays that there’s enough to last his wash, since he’s been on the receiving end of a cold shower far too many times for his liking.  
***

The hot water lasts, unbelievably, and even after he decides to stand under it until it runs out, he ends up leaving five minutes in, because it’s still hot and he has to get dressed.

He turns on the air dry, and waits a few moments for the heat and oxygen to make his hair stop dripping, before finally stepping out.

He removes his uniform and clothing from the sterilization box, and after checking and remedying the wrinkles, pulls it on, drawing the thermal cape overtop, before quickly combing his hair, and stepping out into his room, where nothing is happening, and he can sit down on the bed to read one of the holobooks.

 _“The Wormhole”_ looks questionable, but he’ll give it a shot.  
***

Kylo Ren returns many hours later, long after Mitaka has dimmed the lights and nodded off to sleep, but he wakes quickly when the knight collapses onto the bed with him, and jolts upright in a sleepy defensive pose.

Ren, however, is already snoring softly, and curled into himself.  
***

Morning comes, and Mitaka wakes this time to an empty bed, and the sound of Kylo’s heavy boots.

He rubs a hand over his face sleepily, and glances over at the source of the noise, which proves to be Kylo by the door, carrying some meal trays.

He looks tired, dark circles under his eyes, and hair a bit of a mess, but otherwise, seems unharmed. Meaning his training has most likely been non-physical as of late.

He holds a tray out to Mitaka, who takes it gratefully, and sits down beside him on the bed, with one of his own.

The food looks to be freshly cooked, which is more shocking than Mitaka would like to admit, and seems to be an orange mash of some sort, which tastes rather sweet when he takes a bite and is topped with some crisped grains and is accompanied by some milk which doesn’t even taste powdered, and a thick warm cookie filled with nuts and oats, that he honestly doesn’t think could get any better.

Kylo’s tray is similar, though his lacks a cookie, and his portion is smaller as if he’s been eating at it already, and still is, with some notable verocity.

He looks half-starved.

Which could very well be the case. Mitaka is famished himself, having gone to bed without eating last night.

After crumbling his cookie onto the mash in the center of the tray, he sups at his milk, and glances over at Kylo curiously.

“Have you spoken to your master yet?”

The knight sighs dryly in response.

“Yes. Not in person, however. He has merely informed me to keep this ship running in his absence. So if I were to presume, he’s trying to teach me a lesson on control and leadership as I suspected.”

“Is there a crew?”

“Not a real one. But I’ve seen some holograms wandering around, so it’s likely I’m to treat them as a real crew. I rely too much on my ability to sense people with the force, so I imagine he’s done this to make it so that I have to rely on body language and pure instinct to make decisions instead of the thoughts of others. He’ll probably stage an attack of some sort, at some point, but for now, hunger seemed the most imminent threat to my command.”

Mitaka chuckles despite himself, spooning some more of the food onto his spoon.

“Did you cook this?”

He nods. “There are no droids on this ship either, so I’m under the impression that I’m also supposed to take care of our needs while we’re aboard this ship, and since the kitchen is fully stocked with perishables, I saw no reason to reserve them.”

“How long do you think this assignment will last?”

“As long as it takes.” He responds flatly.

Mitaka frowns. “What if the food expires?”

“Then I assume I’m to arrange for more to be stocked. There was also a monitor on the wall, which was ticking down the usage of virtual rations for the crew, so we’ll have to figure out how to program a supply run before long and reset it.”

Mitaka notes the nervous edge in the man’s tone, and frowns, wondering what would happen if it hit zero.

“If you need help with any of that, I’m fairly familiar with the procedures and technical sides of things. I often helped Hux run the Finalizer.”

“I imagine Hux understood the nature of this test, and sent you for that reason. A stand in for himself, presumably.”

Mitaka winces at that, but Kylo continues, a small grin spreading across his features.

“Except you don’t frustrate me the way he does. So this will likely be a very compatible relationship. I look forward to working together.”

“You do?”

“Mmhm. But perhaps I’ll give you a hard time anyway, since this is a test for you, as well.”

“It is?”

“A raise if you make it back to the Finalizer. As Hux said. I imagine they’re looking to assign some new ship commanders, now that so many were lost on Starkiller, and we’re trying to expand the fleet.”

Mitaka chokes on his food.

“But I’m just a lieutenant!”

“With almost as much knowledge as General Hux himself.”

He doesn’t know what to say to that.

**Author's Note:**

> General Mitaka is probably as entertaining a thought to me as Emperor Hux is  
> so a fic that included both of those would probably kill me
> 
> lol, anyway, as always, feel free to leave a kudos or a comment  
> Thanks for reading


End file.
